Justin B. Terry-Smith has been involved in Gay and HIV Activism since 1999. He is an Air Force 9/11 Disabled Vet. Raised in Silver Spring, MD, he now lives in Severn, MD with his husband Phil. He writes an HIV/STI Advice Column for A&U Magazine, is a Contributing writer for thebody.com, a Life Coach and an Adjunct Professor. He has earned his Doctorate in Public Health with a concentration in Infectious Disease.

Justin's HIV Journal

Sunday, November 16, 2008

Hello my name is Justin B Smith, from Justin’s HIV Journal.. I first decided to record my life with HIV using live video feeds because of the lack of representation that we as African American men have when it comes to documentation of this disease. With all the recent strides the United States has been going through such as the first Black President and Gay Marriage being legalized in Connecticut, I felt it only right for me to take my watchers and readers to the Protest on Proposition 8 held in Washington DC in response to the constitutional vote in California banning same sex marriage.

This recent vote is but one example of when a majority has institutionalized discrimination. People have to know that banning anyone from having a legal marriage is discrimination. Let’s look at it from both a Civil Rights and Religious stand point.

In the case of Loving vs. the Commonwealth of Virginia, two people who loved and were devoted to each other decided to get married. Mildred Loving a woman of African and Native American descent and Richard Perry Loving, a Caucasian man. Both were residents of the Commonwealth of Virginia. They were arrested and charged with miscegenation, which in this instance banned inter-racial marriages. On January 6, 1959, the both pleaded guilty and were sentenced to one year in prison, with the sentence suspended for 25 years on condition that they leave the state of Virginia. The trial judge in the case, Leon Bazile, repeated Johann Friedrich Blumenbach's 18th-century interpretation of race, proclaiming that

“Almighty God created the races white, black, yellow, Malay and red, and He placed them on separate continents. And but for the interference with His arrangement there would be no cause for such marriages. The fact that He separated the races shows that He did not intend for the races to mix.”

History has shown us that people have been using God and the Bible as their platform for discrimination. The Bible has been used and misinterpreted to justify discrimination against blacks and others, in defining marriage as in the case of Loving fight and now against gay marriage. Many “Christians” use it to impose their moral stance. When Christianity and Catholicism were introduced and forced on African and South American nations, they were told that homosexuality, amongst other things, was wrong, when it was already a part of everyday life even when it was unspoken. Those cultures were required to accept the Christian and Catholic beliefs and forced to disregard their own. Has history taught us nothing. Hopefully, history will repeat itself and will use the case of Loving vs the Commonwealth of Virginia to overturn this ban on gay marriage. If Christians want to talk to moralization tell them to look at their own history books for the truth about homosexuality, and make sure it’s NOT the bible.

Monday, November 10, 2008

Then more people started to come and the line grew and grew and grew. The polls opened right at 7:00AM on the dot. There were no hold up and everyone that was there were there in support of there candidate. Maryland itself has almost always been a “blue state” when it came to the Presidential Elections.

As I was in line I looked upon the people’s faces I saw no frowns and no complaining. But I saw hope and so many that were proud to be an American. There were women, men, Blacks, Whites, Hispanics/Latinos, Asians, Gay, Lesbian, Hetero, etc. Everyone under the sun was there. I thought to myself I wonder what they are thinking as there are getting into line to vote, to change the world.

So I decided to Interview them

I felt like I was going to make a difference in the world with my vote, the one voice that nobody could take away from me.

After the elections were over I called my Grandmother. My Grandmother is 90 years old. I called her to get her reaction. She was elated. I asked her, “Grandmom, did you ever think that you would see a black President?” She replied jokingly, “Baby I didn’t think anyone would see a Black President of the United States”.

Justin B Smith's Grandmother

I laughed with her. I then asked her, “How do you feel about all those hard years of discrimination and segregation that you’ve lived through do you think that you’re work has paid off?”

She replied, “Yes BUT there is still more work to be done and I think he (President-Elect Barack Obama, can do it, he the best man for the job”.

The best thing about my trip was not in the first part of my HIV vacation. The best part is when one Saturday night when snuggling up with my partner Philip, watching TV the news came on and we noticed the headline, “Senator Barack Obama in Las Vegas at Bonanza High School”.

Barack Obama - soon to be President-Elect

I jumped out of bed and shouted, “Honey did you see that, he’s here in Las Vegas”. Philip said sarcastically, “Gee honey do you want to go”. I screamed, “Hell Yeah”.

So I took initiative and put in a RSVP for us both. This is a great opportunity.

I felt like it was destiny for me to see him. I googled the high school to see where exactly it was and how far it was from our hotel, it was only 20 minutes from us.

All and all in was a moving experience. I recorded the whole thing on camera.

Child looking toward Obama for change

In the end of the third part there are McCain protesters shouting in an enclosed area. It got heated as people started throwing things at them.

People that are infected with HIV are more apt to suffer from depression than people who are HIV negative.What better way to get out of depression than to take a vacation.I myself am not depressed but I figured that this vacation that I take might remind people that a vacation is a must for everyone, whether their HIV positive or negative.

My partner went to San Francisco to see our two friends get married, which I heard the ceremony was very nice.Sadly I wasn’t able to go to the wedding.

Justin B. Smith at Hoover Dam

So my story begins here in the Baltimore/Washington Area where I had to take a plane to JFK in NY.I was so tired; it was 5:00PM when I landed in New York.The only thing that I like about this part of the trip was the men at the JFKAirport.I not going to lie there was a lot of cruising at the Airport.SO I get on the plane noticed that there was an older gentleman in first class that couldn’t put his bag in the overhead compartment.I was annoyed anyways because I didn’t have my coffee and it was early. Of course when I have to walk past everyone in first class I try not to look at them because I wish I was in first class myself.

So I just happen to look down and guess who looks up at me, 8 Medal Olympian Michael Phelps.

Michael Phelps

I was so stunned I couldn’t even talk or ask for an autograph.Well just my luck, 4 girls rush 1st class then the flight attendant quickly said, “Ladies please take your seats”. Of course when I heard that I said well, “that’s right ladies take your seats”.The flight attendant then said, “Umm you too Sir”.So I said, “Okay” but right before I went to my seat.I said, “Michael, smile”. Phelps said, “Sure” and smiled.I stole a picture of him on my cell phone.But as I looked at my seating number I noticed I was at the very last seat next to the bathroom.NICE, lol.Phelps was very nice, when the plane landed in Las Vegas he gave all the girls pictures and autographs.

Justin B. Smith at Hoover Dam

So when the plane landed you could imagine I was tired.It was 6 hours and no real food.Can we say “cranky”.LOL SO all in all I had a good time. Going to Las Vegas and Hoover Dam was an experience I will never forget.

Check It Out!!!

But that wasn’t the high light of the trip check out the next Vegas Entry!!!!

Sunday, November 2, 2008

Hello all this is Justin B. Smith again. About 2 weeks ago I decided to do the 2008 Washington DC AIDS Walk/5K Run. It was the first time I did the AIDS Walk/5k Run and it’s the first time I ever ran a 5k for a good cause. It felt so good to give something back to my community. I first thought about the AIDS 5K Walk and then thought about how in high school I ran 5K’s like they were nothing. I wanted to see if after 10 years I still had it.

Washington DC Mayor Adrian Fenty (L) and Justin B. Smith (R)

I also decided that community service when talking about HIV/AIDS is one of my callings as well. I do have my hand in many different arenas right now.

Olympic Gold Medalist Diver Greg Louganis (L) and Justin B. Smith (R)

So as most of you know I gauged about 500.00 for my goal for the AIDS Walk/5K Run. Well thanks to all my readers and watchers I raised 700.00. Thank you to all my supporters.

My partner accompanied me on this journal entry and he is has been here from start to finish.He has been my backbone and everything that a partner should to be.I thank him for his strength and generosity as well.

Up Next for Justin’s HIV Journal is a HIV vacation we are going to Luscious Las Vegas !!!!!

Justin B Terry-Smith

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About Justin B Terry-Smith

My name is Justin B Terry-Smith, I'm a Black Gay man living in Laurel, Maryland and I am HIV+. I've decided to share my story because I feel it's important that people who have unprotected sex know what they might be getting themselves into. People have asked me why I am doing this, why have I put my personal business out like this. I tell them it is to help educate people, to make them aware and to make them think twice about having unprotected sex. This is my personal journey that needs to be told to help the community.
HIV is neither glamorous or a rite of passage. Watch the Journal and think twice.
In the words of Pedro Zamora, "I'm not dying. I'm living with it"